Zanu-PF activists clash over land

There was drama yesterday at Worchestershire Farm, about 12km outside Gweru off the Harare highway, when Zanu-PF activists blocked party youths who had come for the unveiling of residential stands at the piece of land.

Some of the women protested by lying on the ground blocking two buses carrying the youths, who are beneficiaries of the Zanu-PF Midlands Youths Worchestershire Housing Project.

Zanu-PF intends to dish out 14 500 residential and commercial stands to youths at the piece of land where ruling party members, including women, were resettled a few years ago.

Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya was unreachable yesterday.

But Zanu-PF provincial youth chairperson Prosper Machando dismissed reports of the clash, saying it was just "a slight misunderstanding" with the resettled people, which was quickly resolved.

"Obviously, when someone suddenly comes to your house, you are bound to raise your head," Machando said.

"But when we arrived with the minister (Machaya) and explained the purpose of our visit, they (resettled farmers) quickly understood and a liaison committee was formed between the youths and the resettled farmers."

However, the resettled farmers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a storm was brewing as they felt the youths had invaded the land they had been allocated by Zanu-PF.